Summa Time and the Livin's Easy

This summer feels like a time warp to me. I can't believe it's already July, but it seems like about 6 years since the school bus came and swallowed up my kids in the morning and  provided me with a day of relative peace. I'm not wishing the summer away, by any means, I'm just amazed that we've made it this far. And we are still trucking along. Here are a few (thousand) of the summer's highlights.

Dallin participated in the Pinewood Derby. His car was called Angry Buck and included a set of horns that Jason sawed off one of Dallin's toy deer the night before the race. Dallin's car was voted Most Likely to Get Shot. The Scouting Program and Me is still an area I am working on loving. Right now, we like each other. Someday I will be a Great Scouting Mom and actually work on requirements during the week. 

We have spent many, many hours at the ball park this year watching Dallin. He loves baseball and has done really well. I am proud of all his hard work and dedication. His team made it to the state tournament, which is yet to come, so our baseball days are far from over this season. I have enjoyed learning more about the sport of baseball (they really steal bases and don't get in trouble?) but I have not enjoyed wrestling Jake for hours on end. I am honestly considering a dog kennel for him, or at least some kind of portable fenced-in dog run.

We've had several fun fishing trips.  I'm grateful to have a husband who loves to take the kids fishing, even though I struggle with fishing because it seems like such a lose/lose situation to me. If the fish aren't biting, by darn we are going to sit there until they do. If the fish are biting, by darn we are going to sit there till the end of time because we can't waste such a golden opportunity. The worst is when a fish bites right at the beginning, and then never again. I sit and watch myself grow older.

  

Yay, Luke got one! Now we can stay for six more hours.

This was a fun camping trip at East Canyon Resort for Jason's mission reunion. It was nice because we could  camp on grass! I loved the lack of dirt and rocks. It was also fun to meet a lot of people from Jason's mission and see his mission president again.

The fire on the mountain by Saratoga Springs provided lots of excitement.  We watched it burn down the mountain and cover the sun with smoke. I am so grateful to all those who helped get it under control and save so many homes!

Yikes, the flames!!!

We drove out and watched the helicopter filling up with water at Utah Lake and then fly over us in a blaze of glory to dump it on the fire. It gave me goosebumps to watch! I was so proud of the little helicopter guy. 

We had a fun night at the Timpanogos Archery Range. It is so beautiful and cool up there and so close. The kids LOVE to go shoot bows and roam through the hills.

Jason walking with his little herd toward the shooting course. I just love to see that little pack of rats from behind. 

Luke was in love with the huge weeds that you blow the little white thingies off of. I mean, what are those things? They aren't giant dandelions. Whatever they are, there are going to be a lot more of them now.

Jake fell in love with all the targets and I had a hard time dragging him away from all his new "puppies". He pretty much thinks all animals are puppies, especially horses. Except actual puppies, he calls those "dogs".

Another beautiful puppy to love. Am I the only one who thinks hunting targets are freaky?

Luke LOVES birds. His whole life revolves around birds (and Pokemon cards). He has been looking forward to the bird show at the Hutchings Museum since last year during Lehi Roundup Days and he was so excited to go see all his fine feathered friends again. This is some kind of falcon. Luke's dream in life is to have a pet condor. For now he has to settle for watching all the turkey vultures that circle around Lehi with their cool red heads and hooked beaks.

Abby loves owls and she was excited to get close to this little guy.

We found two frogs in our yard last week. One was alive and the other was... frozen. In time. I had to use all my restraint to keep from screaming when the "frozen" frog was brought into my house. He was all stretched out in a swimming position and hard as a rock. I mean, the look on his face... it still haunts my dreams. Shudder.

I used to be just like this when I was a kid. All happy about a frog and willing to touch the slimy little thing for hours on end. What happened to me? Why can't I touch animals anymore? Or kids who have been touching animals, or anything that kids who have been touching animals have touched? I'm afraid the thing my kids will remember most about me is the question, "Have you washed your hands with soap?" Sad, I tell you. Sad.

Jake wasn't so sure about the frog. Maybe I should put a guard frog by the front door to prevent this child from jumping ship since he has now learned to unlatch the deadbolt and open the door. I can officially never relax again.

We went to the Horse Parade in Lehi and Jake was thrilled to see so many "puppies" at once. He yelled "Hi puppy! Hi puppy!" for about 45 minutes.

Lots of fun cousins watching the parade.

We went to the annual Crane family reunion in Bennington, Idaho and had a great time. We camped in a tent the first night. The moon was so bright we didn't even need flashlights inside the tent! My parents brought their trailer so we had all the necessities. It was great.

This is my Grandma and Grandpa Crane's house where my mom grew up. I love this place and have so many memories here. I loved taking my kids there and showing them around.

Abby and Luke had fun exploring my grandma's attic. Apparently there is a bat problem up there. My Aunt Wilma showed us the guano and everything. I wanted to stay and try to catch a bad so badly, but we didn't have time. I hope the bats are still there the next time I visit. Then I will get my pet bat for SURE!

Abby was my little hiking partner. My relatives own this canyon and it is amazing to be there and think of  my grandpa herding sheep in these very same hills so many years ago. It is so peaceful to me. I think it feels like holy ground.

We always get a big breakfast with all the fixin's. Sometimes I look around and think, I can't believe I am related to all these people! But I am, and I am so grateful. My relatives are the BEST people on earth.

The fun family pic up in the canyon. Dirty and stinky and having the time of our lives. Such is summer. Lack of soap and all.

Summa Time

In some ways I secretly dread the coming of summer, thinking it will so hard to be out of our routines and wonder how am I going to keep the kids entertained when school ends, and all that. But then summer gets here and it is so nice and pleasant to have warm weather and have time to just have fun. We've had a great summer so far. Let's just say I have spent a lot of time sitting on the deck eating popsicles with the kids. In other news, this summer both boys are playing baseball.

Dallin is doing coach pitch. He loves it.

Luke is doing tee ball. He hates it.

Lehi Roundup days were great, as usual. The kids love the parade and rodeo.

Abby got all dressed up for the rodeo, but then I send her with my in-laws after the parade so we could enjoy the night. I'm pretty sure she enjoyed hanging out with her grandma and grandpa more than she would have liked the rodeo.

The boys LOVED the rodeo, of course. You can see from my expanding belly that my due date is approaching. I am scheduled to have this little guy on Friday, August 6. Holy cow, that is four weeks from today. Yikes! What am I going to do with four kids? I'll think about it tomorrow.

We've had one round of swimming lessons at the American Fork pool and are scheduled to begin another one the last two weeks of July. We have been doing evening lessons and they are great. No sunscreen required! Why do I hate putting sunscreen on my kids so much? I swear, I would rather do yard work.

.

Dallin's big accomplishment of the summer has been learning to ride a bike. Yeah, he's a little old. But he has always refused to try without training wheels and this summer I haven't really felt like huffing down the street with him in the hot sun, so he has stayed on a four-year-old biking level for about seven years now. Then one night my sisters Teresa and Shayna were here and I asked them to help him learn. About 10 minutes later he was riding all over the neighborhood by himself. Thanks, girlies.  I owe you one. 

We had a fun little fishing trip up to Clear Lake where the boys caught 12 fish. Jason even helped Abby catch her first fish ever. She was thrilled.

And then there's this strange creature. Abby has officially adopted the fake owl from our yard as her new best friend. One day she came running into the house with a huge smile on her face, lugging the giant bird, saying, "She's name Who-Who! She's name Who-Who!!" So Who-Who is now the latest member of our family and sleeps beside Abby in her crib, and usually next to her in the car. Whatever floats your boat, my child. Just take a little nap. I need to go put my feet up for a while...